Presently, SIP is becoming an increasingly popular protocol for transporting both standard and non-standard information in a common framework over Local Area Networks (LANs). For example, LANs can include SIP-based multi-media service provider systems, such as systems and services provided by AT&T. However, Wide Area Networks (WANs) provided by other various communications service providers continue to employ a mixture of call signaling protocols, such as H.323, Media Gateway Control Protocol (MGCP), Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and proprietary protocols, which are used for communicating information between various components of the WAN. However, each multi-media communication service provider system operating on a LAN is required to interface with the WAN in order to communicate information over the WAN to SIP-enabled communication devices.
Furthermore, as SIP-based multi-media communication service provider systems operating on LANs continue to offer additional services, there is a need to improve the rate for which requests for multi-media services are processed. Typically, SIP protocol specific messages, such as SIP INVITE messages and SIP Redirect messages, are employed to communicate information related to requests for multi-media services between the various components of the SIP-based multi-media services provider system. However, the present format of SIP protocol messages require appreciable parsing and/or processing by a recipient network element in order to extract pertinent addressing information, which is used by the recipient network element to generate and send another SIP protocol message having predetermined information to a destination network element for processing the request for the multi-media services.
Therefore, an unsolved need remains for a SIP protocol message, such as a SIP INVITE message and/or a SIP Redirect message, which employs a format that reduces processing overhead of a recipient network element for parsing and/or processing the SIP protocol message in order to extract pertinent addressing information. Further, an unsolved need remains for a SIP protocol message that is directly compatible with other various network elements operating on the WAN.